Iconic Orange Elephant on the A38 taken down following incident

Devon's renowned life-sized Orange Elephant landmark, a familiar sight on the A38, has been removed following an act of vandalism by a protestor.

The statue, property of the award-winning Orange Elephant Ice Cream parlour in Kennford, was defaced with the words 'no dump' overnight between Sunday, December 8, and Monday, December 9.

The act of vandalism is thought to be a reaction to a contentious planning application for a landfill site and temporary recycling centre on 75 acres of green fields at Lower Brenton Farm in Kennford. The farm is owned by the Taverner family, creators of Orange Elephant Ice Cream.

The family has described the vandalism as 'horrendous and harassment', urging people to express their objections in a more 'sensible' manner.

BT Jenkins, an Exeter-based earthmoving and plant hire company, is seeking permission to establish a landfill for up to 700,000 cubic metres of construction waste, along with an industrial scale waste crushing facility. This new facility would replace BT Jenkins' Trood Lane landfill site at Matford in Exeter, which has reached its capacity, reports DevonLive.

The proposed plans are temporary, consisting of three phases each lasting two to three years, after which the land will be restored to productive farmland. These plans, which have been under consideration for three years, have been modified due to concerns raised.

The consultation window for feedback on a recent application is understood to have concluded last Friday, December 6, with a judgement expected from Devon County Council in the coming February.

Just a month after undergoing a refurbishment, The Orange Elephant saw its return to glory. Removed at the end of October, the vibrant landmark made a comeback in November sporting a fresh coat of paint.

Since 2018, the iconic statue has been a familiar sight by the M5 and A30 junctions. Tracing back its origins, the first instance of an orange elephant graced the field in 2006, complete with a slide, rescued from the now-defunct Little Chef at Haldon Hill's summit.

The beloved figure was later transitioned to the nearby paddock, serving as an attraction for the ice cream parlours visitors, yielding its place to the statue that visitors see today.

Helen Taverner, the owner, manager, and artisan behind Orange Elephant Ice Cream's delights, stated: "We have reported the incident to the police and the elephant is being beautifully restored. What's happened is horrendous and harassment."

She continued, speaking about the broader conflict, "It is a symptom of the abusive rhetoric from a small minority of those opposed to the plans. We recognise there's a difference of views on the plans and continue to welcome a sensible debate but this is not the first time we've had to involve the police."

In a plea for civility, Taverner added, "We ask everyone to let this be the moment we all take a step back and agree to conduct this debate sensibly and with respect for each other."

The protest group Residents Against The Landfill (RATL) has condemned the defacement of the Orange Elephant, insisting that any protests should be conducted within the law.

Mike Elliott, a member of RATL, expressed his disbelief at the act of vandalism, stating: "I have been involved with literally hundreds of local residents opposing the landfill over the past three years, and cannot imagine any of them condoning something like this, let alone being involved in such vandalism. Our campaign group has always strongly discouraged any expressions of personal animosity towards the Taverners, despite the strength of feelings in the local community."

He further questioned the timing of the incident, saying: "I am also at a loss as to why something like this would happen now. In the overall context of the application, there is no reason why anyone would want to draw attention to it at this time. We have been successful in justifying our opposition to the proposed landfill using rational arguments, and believe the application will ultimately be refused."

Elliott warned that such actions could harm their cause and believed that local residents would condemn the act.

In response to the incident, Devon and Cornwall Police are appealing for information. A spokesperson for the force said: "Police were called following a report of graffiti being sprayed on the orange elephant landmark on the A38 in Kennford. The offence is believed to have taken place overnight between Sunday, December 8, and Monday, December 9."

"At this time, there are no viable lines of enquiry, however, if further evidence comes to light the incident can be re-visited. Anybody with information can contact police on 101 or via our website quoting 50240309757."

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